Help! Parisian wedding.

[Xiaoxiong]

My DBro is getting married in Paris to wonderful and impossibly gorgeous French SIL. I love them both but they and all their friends are very image conscious. I always feel like a giant pale galumphing hippo when I am over there and unfortunately I can't hide this time. There is no way I won't stand out like a sore thumb among their slender tanned petite friends so I am thinking instead try to go very fashion forward (which they will all recognise and appreciate, SIL reads French Vogue cover to cover every month). Like some kind of mad jumpsuit or giant Villanelle pink tulle dress or something.

Unfortunately very fashion forward seems to be made for sample size people and I'm 5'6", 11st, short waist, big bust and wobbly belly but good legs and relatively good arms. Looking through fashion editorials for ideas has terrified me (like this - eek: www.theguardian.com/fashion/gallery/2019/may/05/rainbow-warrior-bold-colours-for-spring)

Any suggestions? Budget up to £800 for the whole outfit.

My usual style is more along the lines of cigarette trousers, striped top, blazer and converse...

It sounds perfect!

All you need is a coral fascinator or a navy/white hat to set the whole thing off! You might as well go big or go home, and it’s such a British look (whether approved of by S&B or not!)

@Xia I’m so pleased you’re biens dans sa peau with your two beautiful dresses, which look totally amazing on you!
Have a wonderful wedding and do come back to tell us how it all went.

@Xiaoxiong, both the dresses look fab on you. I agree, stick to your comfort zone and you will look amazing. And you are singing a solo - how wonderful, I really think you will have stumped all those French women with your amazing voice, so make sure you feel comfy in your clothes. Have a wonderful time, and let us know how it goes - and what they all wore!!!

I think you look lovely in both dresses (particularly the Bombshell one). I love a bit of high fashion and I get what some people are saying but I question whether a wedding, where you already feel a bit insecure and where the pics may follow you around for years to come, is the best place to experiment. If you want to break out of your style comfort zone then you've got the rest of your life to do it - maybe start another thread on it?

I've found Catholic weddings to be surprisingly free and easy so I wouldn't worry about that aspect. (Admittedly I've never been to a French one.) Lovely that you're singing - your brother must be very proud of you to ask you to do that. Have a wonderful time.

AuldSpinster I actually have a pretty big fuchsia hat which I wear to weddings! It's so big though that I probably can't wrangle it over to Paris together with the DSs and our luggage unless I wear it, and that will truly look odd. But I didn't even think about the fact I will be able to wear it with either of these dresses in future, hurrah!

Good to read another update from you, I thought our infighting might have scared you off!

How wonderful that you will be singing a solo, all the more important for you to feel comfortable and "yourself".

It's great that you have two lovely dresses that you'd be happy to wear and you're sorted for accessories bit gutted we couldn't spend all your money for you on fancy new stuff but never mind.

I'm going to wear the snakeskin print pointy toed heels I'm wearing in the photo of the Bombshell dress

Excellent choice. Fashiony and a neutral.

Sounds perfect

Have a lovely time! How wonderful that you are singing during the service. Hope it goes well.

Gorgeous! Have a wonderful time

Cone back with a if from the day???

@Xiaoxiong Oh what a lovely update, so glad to hear that you feel good about what you chose and you will look great! Much healthier approach to focus on what you will be doing, ie singing and contributing :D

I like a bit of skin covering dressing in church where I might be stuck next to people and basically rubbing bodies thank you very much, so nothing at all wrong with MOB! You'll be great and I hope you all enjoy yourselves! :D

@Xiaoxiong That's good - my gran wore pink and navy at my parents' wedding and I was always struck by how well the colours went together (i didn't arrive for 18 months afterwards, going by the wedding photos!).

@Xiaoxiong, could we have a pic of full outfit inc. accessories, please??

(Over-invested)

Well I wore the Bombshell dress with the snakeskin shoes, straw clutch, crimson lipstick and cat-eye sunglasses and I felt like a million euros!! And I discovered re: the dress that it doesn't look like much when you're standing still but it's amazing when you walk, the huge full skirt goes swishing all around you.

And I am going to wear the Phase 8 dress to the evening reception!!

stunning - hope you've had a lovely day.

When you wear the dress next you could change it up with a snakeskin belt!!

I want that Bombshell dress now...

Oh vous êtes très belle!

There's nothing like that feeling of strutting about feeling utterly confident about your clothes and appearance. Savour it!

Hoorah, you look wonderful!

Hope you're all having a lovely time.

I'm so pleased you chose the Bombshell dress, I knew it was the one!

Have a fab evening in the Phase 8 (also a great choice!)

CountFosco it fits me like a glove. It's amazing. I am going to be buying a few more dresses from them for sure.

I’m tempted now!

You look lovely. Enjoy yourself!

You look lovely , shoes are a fab choice. Can I see the sunglasses please?

Delurking to say how amazing you look OP. Hope everyone had a wonderful day.

Magnifique